November saw the mourning of a hugely successful Cornwall leader Gerry Benson, who’d passed away at the age of 78 at the end of October.

Benson, founder of the Benson Group was a dynamic leader, said Cornwall business man Roy Perkins.

“(Gerry) and wife (Claudette’s) fingerprints are all over the city of Cornwall (and beyond),” he said.

Thursday was a good day for these Central Public School students to be wearing their brand-new snowsuits. From left are Justin Stevenson, Kelcie Roblee, Kurtis Jack and Wyatt Julien.Photo on Thursday, November 22, 2018, in Cornwall, Ont. Todd Hambleton/Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia NetworkTodd Hambleton /
Todd Hambleton/Standard-Freeholder

The big news out of South Stormont was the plan to sell the Ingleside Kraft plant to Parmalat. The deal cost $1.62 billion and the 400 employees would be transferred to Parmalat SpA. The deal is expected to close at the end of 2019.

“I’m glad to see someone is taking it over. We’re talking about 400 good jobs for this community, plus all the spinoff for the other industries that have been doing business with Kraft Heinz,” said McGillis. “I think everything will be alright, it all looks good … Kraft Heinz has been a good corporate citizen for us for many years, and I hope that Parmalat will be the same.”

The deal would be helpful to both companies. The money from the deal would allow Kraft Heinz trim its debt and allow Parmalat’s parent company, Lactalis, to extend its North American footprint.

Cornwall residents had a real mystery on their hands when Cornwall Community Police Service blocked off a large portion of a vacant lot on Adolphus Street between Sixth and Seventh streets on Remembrance Day. Police were tight-lipped about the blockoff and would just verify police were called to investigate an incident alleged to have occurred.

The St. Joe’s Panthers could not be stopped as they charged towards the endzone to win the SDG football championship on Friday November 9, 2018 in Cornwall, Ont. Alan S. Hale/Cornwall Standard-Freeholder/Postmedia NetworkAlan S. Hale /
Alan S. Hale/Standard-Freeholder

November also saw the last meeting of council after the municipal elections in October. Mayor Leslie O’Shaughnessy rejected the notion the council was “fractured.”

“It was diplomacy. It is our right, as individuals, to bring forward what we believe is best for the municipality. It’s not being divided; it’s diplomacy, and sometimes diplomacy is not pretty and may not be received well by the public, but then again, it is what it is,” said O’Shaughnessy. “You all, hopefully, have understood that you had the opportunity to voice your opinions and ensure that every voice around this table was heard.”

Out in South Stormont, deputy mayor-elect David Smith was facing an ethics inquiry. It was alleged he was involved in an argument at a local business establishment which caused the complaint to be filed.

Another strike hit the city in November as 125 unionized employees at Baxtrom’s Your Independent Grocer walked off the job. The employees were looking for better wages and shorter-term contracts.

“We’ve said this at (union) member’s meetings and at the bargaining table: our hope has always been to bargain to a fair deal on (the key) issues,” said Roland Lapins, the UFCW’s East Region director.